Abstract: Each of clusters manages records. A plurality of record operation processing units execute operations on the records. When a particular one of the clusters receives a record operating command, a record operating mechanism selection unit selects, based on a record operating mechanism selecting command, one of the record operation processing units to which the record operating command should be supplied from the particular cluster.

Abstract: A transport system for transporting a recording sheet having liquid ink deposited thereon through a dryer for drying the liquid ink having an input portion and an output portion. The transport system includes a transport belt disposed between the input portion and the output portion for transporting the recording sheet through the dryer. A negative pressure member is located beneath the belt and defines a negative pressure chamber. The pressure member decreases the pressure within the pressure member so that a non-uniform negative pressure is applied to the recording sheet during transport through the dryer. A directing member located within a plenum directs differing negative pressures within the plenum such that negative pressures decrease in amplitude along the transport direction. The application of a negative pressure within the plenum also tends to reduce or remove evaporated liquid driven from the inks during drying.

Abstract: An image processing system for converting an input pixel into n subpixels P1, P2, . . . , Pn, said system includes a comparator for comparing density threshold values D1, D2, . . . , Dn (where D1<D2<. . . <Dn) corresponding to the subpixels P1, P2, . . . , Pn with a density of the input pixel, Din; and a density setting unit for setting subpixels P1, P2, . . . , Pk corresponding to density threshold values D1, D2, . . . , Dk of the density threshold values D1, D2, . . . , Dn (where k<n) less than the density Din to a high density, setting subpixels Pk+2, . . . , Pn to a low density, and setting subpixel Pk+1 to an intermediate density.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an overall original-copy recording function for effecting image recording automatically in one simple operation without loss of any part of the overall original image. A scanner is used to scan an original copy to detect the original-copy size. In the absence of an original-copy skew, the original-copy size is assumed to be equal in size to the original image, whereas in the presence of the original-copy skew, the size of a square internally touched by the skewed original copy is made the original image. Selection is made of copying paper whose size is greater than a combination of the detected original-copy size and a copying paper skew and of a memory corresponding to the selected copying paper size, so that the original image that has been read is stored. The original image is formed on the selected copying paper before being output.

Abstract: A system and method for color mixing control in an electrostatographic printing system. An operative mixture of colored developing material is continuously replenished with selectively variable amounts of developing materials of basic color components making up the operative mixture. The rate of replenishment of various color components added to the operative mixture is controlled to provide a mixture of developing material capable of producing a customer selectable color on an output copy substrate. A colorimeter is provided for monitoring the color of a test image printed with the operative mixture of developing material in the supply reservoir so that the color thereof can be brought into agreement with a color required to produce the customer selectable output color.

Abstract: Toners comprised of a cyan toner, a magenta toner, a yellow toner, a green toner, and a black toner, each of said toners being comprised of resin and pigment; and wherein the pigment for the green toner is Green 7, CI Number 74260, or Green 36, CI Number 74265, and wherein said pigment, excluding black, is dispersed in said resin by flushing, wherein a cyan, magenta, green, and yellow pigment water wet cake is mixed with toner resin, and the water is sbustantially removed to generate pigmented resin.

Abstract: A system for managing printing system memory in which a state of a printing system subsystem is altered between a first state and a second state by reference to a substrate including machine readable code, such as bar code. The system includes a raster image processing device for scanning the substrate to read a representation of the machine readable code. In response to receiving an authorization signal, a value in memory is altered and the state of the printing system subsystem is changed from the first state to the second state.

Abstract: A data structure representation of an image called an image structure map (ISM) accurately and explicitly represents the geometry, topology and signal properties of regions in an original image and allows for efficient and accurate spatial indexing of the image and those regions. The ISM may serve as the basis for an image interaction system in which a user interacts with a rendered view of an original image that is produced from the ISM data structure. The rendered view of the original image represents the geometry and topology of the original image as represented in the ISM. The user interacts with the rendered view to make alterations to, or to query, the structures in the ISM. The user may also modify the ISM by interacting directly with a displayed view of the original image. The user may further invoke automatic operations to be performed using the original image data structure that produce image region data, such as signal property descriptors and boundary data, that may be used to modify the ISM.

Abstract: In a printer which produces images as a function of the combination of cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y) and black (K) colorants on an output color print, responsive to device independent colorimetric description of an image, there is provided a method of printing in a color printer so that scanned color images defined in terms of colorimetric color signals may be printed on a color printer responsive to printer colorant signals to render a color print with a set of three primary colorants and black on a substrate, the printing method comprising the ordered steps of scanning an image to derive a set of device independent colorimetric color signals, converting said colorimetric color signals into device dependent primary colorant signals, each primary colorant signal defining a density of colorant to be used in rendering a color print, said conversion accounting for a subsequent black colorant addition, determining, for minimum and maximum values of the combination of primary colorant signals a black colorant

Abstract: In a document reproduction apparatus with an imaging station and a sheet feeding system for feeding physical document sheets in a sheet feeding path at a first velocity in a document sheet motion direction to the imaging station to be imaged, with a transmissivity sensor for measuring the transmissivity of the document sheets to provide an imaging control signal for reducing show-through imaging defects from light transmissive document sheets including opposite side images of duplex documents, there is provided a document sheet light transmissivity measurement system with a scanning system for linearly moving a single scanner on a single axis at a second velocity across the sheet feeding path orthogonally of the document motion direction in coordination with the document sheet movement at the first velocity so that the scanner diagonally scans the document on two axes before the document is imaged, to provide a more accurate transmissivity measurement of the document sheet than a single axis transmissivity sc

Abstract: A method for adjusting image quality in a printing machine having a variable density image developed on a photoconductive surface in accordance with an initial set of starting values. The method includes a first layer of detecting a plurality of densities of the variable density image and transmitting a plurality of signals with each signal being indicative of a density; generating new starting values, responsive to the plurality of signals, using a linearized perturbation model; calculating error values, responsive to the plurality of signals, minimizing the sum of the squares of the error values; testing the error values for convergence on a set of reference values with each reference value indicative of an acceptable density; repeating the detecting, transmitting, generating, calculating, and testing steps for a plurality of iterations.

Abstract: A raster output scanner having a laser diode which generates a laser beam with a controlled beam intensity. The raster output scanner includes a time base generator which divides time into a sequence of periods; a laser diode; a current driver which applies laser excitation current to the laser diode in selected pixel periods, wherein the drive current causes the laser diode to generate a laser beam, and wherein the drive current depends upon a control input; a latent image producing surface; and a raster scanner for sweeping a focussed laser beam in scan lines across the latent image producing surface, wherein the time required to complete a scan line is a N pixel periods.

Abstract: Coated sheets or substrates such as paper, opaque MYLAR, TESLIN or the like are utilized in the creation of simulated, photographic-quality prints formed using non photographic imaging procedures such as xerography and ink jet. A first substrate which is transparent has a reverse reading black image formed thereon. Such an image may be formed using conventional monochromatic xerography. A second substrate is xerographically imaged for forming a uniform color image layer thereon. The foregoing results in a simulated color photographic-quality print which when viewed through the non-imaged side of the transparent substrate contains right reading reading images which exhibit color even though they are formed using black toner.

Abstract: In a reproduction machine, a static elimination device for removing static charge from a sheet of material being conveyed along a sheet path through a sheet handling machine. The static elimination device includes a thin flexible support member having a first length suitable for spanning across the sheet path, and a first width defining an area with the first length for supporting a static charge removing member. The static charge removing member has a second length substantially equal to the first length of the support member, and a second width greater than the first width of the support member, and is mounted to the support member. In particular, the static removing member comprises a conductive fabric for mounting in a static removing relationship with a sheet being conveyed along the sheet path of the sheet handling machine. The fabric consists of innumerable thin fibers forming fabric segments.

Abstract: An imaging system for forming multiple superimposed image exposure frames on a photoconductive member moving in a process direction including a rotating polygon having a plurality of facets. A raster output scanner forms a plurality of scanlines in a transverse direction across the photoconductive member by reflecting modulated beams from the rotating polygon. A control provides a start of scan (SOS) signal for each of the facets of the rotating polygon, determines the facet related to the first scanline of a first image exposure frame on the photoconductive member, and initiates the first scanline of each succeeding superimposed image exposure frame on the photoconductive member in relation to the facet related to the first scanline of the first image exposure frame.

Abstract: A dual path sheet feeder is disclosed including a bypass transport loop and a main transport loop for selectively delivering sheets from a sheet feeding module to either a printer processing module or to a finishing module, wherein a movable gate situated adjacent to the bypass transport loop is provided for directing sheets along a predetermined path of travel. The movable gate is selectively positionable between a first position for directing the sheets through the main transport loop to the processing module to produce copy sheets prior to delivering the copy sheets to the finishing module and a second position for directing the sheets through the bypass transport loop to deliver insert sheets directly to the finishing module, circumventing the processing module.

Abstract: A replacement roller cartridge for a cut sheet retard feeder. The cartridge assembly includes a feed roll, a nudger roll, and a retard roll aligned so that the axis of rotation are substantially in the same plane within an articulated frame. The frame is inserted into the feed head and pivoted into an active position. Upon insertion into the feed head, the retard roll is captured by a separate retard bracket so that when the feed head is pivoted into the active position the retard roll is withdrawn from the frame and forms a feed nip with the feed roll. The articulated frame is geared so that the frame folds back against itself to provide a very compact unit. A gear train is provided on both sides of the cartridge to drive the feed roll and the nudger roll. The cartridge assembly provides a low cost, easily replaceable unit that eliminates the need for a service technician to replace worn feed rolls.

Abstract: In a work flow management apparatus of the present invention, a packet of necessary information is given to each step when the step is started, and the step execution result is returned to the information packet from the step. Routing preprocessing unit is provided for adding an information field for determining whether or not the step is to be routed to its subsequent step to the information packet transferred between the person in charge of the step and the system. Routing postprocessing unit is provided for determining whether or not the step is to be routed to its subsequent step based on the information field contents in the information packet from the person in charge of the step.

Abstract: An electroforming process and apparatus for forming an electroform with a roughened surface. An electroform with a roughened surface is formed by plating a reusable mandrel with a roughened surface. The reusable mandrel surface is roughened using a sandblasting device. The surface of the reusable mandrel is coated with a dual catalyzed non-self regulating crack free chromium deposit and a surface preparation to maintain the roughened surface. An alternate embodiment of the reusable mandrel utilizes a stainless steel mandrel without the chromium deposit on the surface. The roughened electroform surface enables toner distribution and sealing of the toner distribution module.

Abstract: An image processing system with a buffer memory for use in a facsimile device. An image processing apparatus comprising an image read unit for operating continuously to read an image on an original document, a buffer memory for temporarily storing image data of the image on the original that is read by the image read unit, a compressing unit for compressing the image data stored in the buffer memory into code data, and a buffer memory controller for controlling the operation of writing the image data into the buffer memory and the operation of reading the image data from the buffer memory. The image data processing device with buffer memory, which can continuously operate an image input terminal and/or an image output terminal, using a buffer memory which has a less number of the memory elements than a page memory.